The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Australian Forecast – Mostly Warm, Sunny Skies for the Final Week of the Aussie Season

Published early Friday, 18^th September 2026

Perisher’s slopes have had a timely little freshen-up for the home stretch, thanks to Tuesday night’s 4cm top-up and a couple of solid nights of snowmaking. We’ve now entered the final week of the Aussie season, with Perisher announcing Friday the 25th of September as closing day. That means this will also be my final Aussie forecast of the season, and it should see you right through to last turns.

Mother Nature looks set to dish up plenty of sunshine for the grand finale. Friday and Saturday will be warm and sunny before hair-dryer northwesterlies crank up to gale force on Sunday, potentially affecting lifts and taking another decent bite out of the snowpack.

Things settle down again Monday as cooler southerlies arrive, bringing another big helping of blue sky and perhaps one last chance for the snow guns overnight. Tuesday then shapes up as an absolute bluebird corker, with more sunshine and warm weather expected through the final few days of the season. Not a bad way to see things out!

Friday 18^th September

Another beautiful, warm, sunny day with a little high cloud as westerly winds pick up.

Saturday 19^th September

Nice, warm and sunny with a brisk westerly.

Sunday 20^th September

Clear and sunny again, but warm hair-dryer northwesterlies crank up to gale force, taking a sizable nibble out of the snowpack and possibly affecting lift operations.

Monday 21^st September

Northwest winds die away early, with cooler, light southerlies then serving up a big helping of blue sky and sunshine, a little cloud on the side and perhaps a spit or two to wet the whistle. There may even be one last chance for the snow guns to fire overnight.

Tuesday 22^nd September

Yet another stunning bluebird day, with barely a breath of wind to ruffle the feathers.

Extended Forecast

Sunshine and warm west-to-northwest breezes will dominate Perisher’s final three days of the season. However, a little atmospheric instability could spark a shower on Thursday and Friday afternoon, the 24^th and 25^th of September, with a chance of thunderstorms. Hopefully Mother Nature puts on a fitting light show to see the season out in style.

That’s all from me for today, and for the season, folks. It’s been a real pleasure riding the highs and lows of another Aussie winter with you. It certainly wasn’t an easy one, but hopefully you managed to scrounge up a few gems, score some good turns and make the most of what was dished up.

The NZ season is still cranking and will roll on into mid-October, while the Northern Hemisphere will start winding up in a couple of months, so there’s still plenty of snow to look forward to. Otherwise, enjoy the warmer months, and I’ll see you back here next season.

The Grasshopper, signing off!

New Zealand Forecast –  Powder Tap Keeps Dribbling, But a Juicier Weekend Storm is Brewing

Published early Wednesday, 23^rd September 2026

Another spring cold change whipped over the South Island Monday night, sprinkling a fresh 3-4cm across the Southern Lakes before strengthening winds spoiled Tuesday’s fun, shutting lifts early as another surge of cold air brought more light snowfall. Mt Hutt also received a 2cm dusting before enjoying a cracking Tuesday, with another little overnight top-up already visible on the webcams in these early hours of writing. Mt Ruapehu didn’t escape the wild weather either, with deteriorating conditions on Tuesday forcing an early closure as the snowflakes started falling.

The spring powder taps keep flowing today, Wednesday, with a few more South Island flurries and a tidy 5-10cm for Mt Ruapehu. After a quieter Thursday, another weak system could deliver a dusting to the Southern Lakes Thursday night and 2-6cm to Canterbury on Friday.

The juicier stuff arrives this weekend as a strong, icy southerly charges north Saturday night into Sunday. Around 10-20cm could fall across the Southern Lakes and 10-30cm for Canterbury and Mt Ruapehu, although severe gales could make Sunday a pretty feral one on Ruapehu.

Wednesday 23^rd September

A mix of sunshine and cloud across the South Island, with snow flurries hanging around Canterbury into the afternoon and a few cheeky flakes also possible around the Queenstown ski fields. Icy south-to-southwest winds will gradually lose their bite as the day rolls on.

Mt Ruapehu gets its turn at the powder trough, picking up a tidy 5-10cm through the day as winds swing to an even colder southerly during the morning.

Thursday 24^th September

Chilly westerlies will bring a little cloud to the Southern Lakes, while Canterbury basks beneath beautiful, clear spring skies. A weak system then sneaks in overnight, giving the Southern Lakes a fresh dusting of up to a few centimetres before spreading snow northwards into Canterbury during the wee hours of Friday morning.

Mt Ruapehu gets a nice, clear start as those cold southerlies ease, before a few snow flurries turn up during the afternoon as a southwest breeze develops.

Friday 25^th September

Cloud over the Southern Lakes breaks apart during the morning, opening the door to a cracking sunny day with light westerly breezes.

Canterbury stays in the firing line for snow showers and flurries as the weak system slowly drifts northwards, potentially laying down another handy 2-6cm by the time it clears during the evening.

Mt Ruapehu starts out fine once again, but light snow showers redevelop later in the morning as westerly breezes pick up, giving the ski fields another dusting of up to a few centimetres.

Saturday 26^th September

A weak front brushes across the South Island early, bringing little more than a spot of rain before leaving behind partly cloudy skies and a strengthening northwester. But the real action arrives after dark, when a strong, icy southerly charges north and dumps heavy snowfall down to low levels.

Mt Ruapehu won’t have the nicest of days, with a grey, blustery morning followed by rain and high-level snow during the afternoon as the weak front passes overhead. Precipitation turns to rain at all levels during the evening as strong southwesterlies swing around to the northwest.

Sunday 27^th September

The South Island wakes to fresh powder, with snowfall easing back to lighter showers during the morning before eventually clearing in the afternoon. Strong, icy southerlies will also gradually back off and swing southwest.

Mt Ruapehu gets hammered as Saturday’s rain flips to heavy snow during the morning with the arrival of the cold southwest change. It’ll be a gnarly, stormy day with severe gales likely keeping the ski fields closed. Things start settling down later as the snowfall and winds ease.

All up, this system could lay down around 10-20cm for the Southern Lakes and 10-30cm for Canterbury and Mt Ruapehu, delivering a timely late-season boost.

Extended Forecast

After the weekend powder dump, the snow taps won’t shut off completely just yet. The Southern Lakes and Mt Ruapehu should pick up a few more light snow showers around Monday the 28^th and Tuesday the 29^th of September before the strong, icy southwesterly flow runs out of puff.

From Thursday the 1^st of October onwards, another weak storm or two will likely wander through and dish up a few more freshies. There are also hints of something beefier turning up towards the end of the week, with the potential for a more substantial powder top-up. Plenty of details to iron out yet, but it’s certainly one to keep an eye on.

That’s all from me today, folks. I’m sending out NZ forecasts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the season. Have a great couple of days, and I’ll see you back here on Friday.

Grasshopper

Weekly Japan Forecast – A Better Week Ahead With More Snow & Colder Temps

Written late Wednesday, 4^th March (Japan Standard Time)

Well folks, this will be my final forecast for the 2025–2026 Japanese snow season. It’s been a solid month of limited snowfall and unseasonably warm temperatures across Japan, with the past seven days in particular delivering very little fresh snow. After an epic January and early February, the Japow machine has largely switched off, and we’ve seen considerable snow loss as a result.

However, the next seven days look far more promising, with a few decent rounds of powder and cold temps on the way. Thursday, Sunday and Tuesday are shaping up as the standout days, with the bulk of the snowfall expected then. There are still a few weeks left in the season, and spring skiing brings warmer temperatures, longer days and more sunshine. It’s my personal favourite, so get amongst it! 

Thursday 5^th & Friday 6^th March

Thursday will be a powder day of sorts as remaining snowfall across the country gradually dries up. This comes after a storm from the southwest arrived late Tuesday, bringing warm temperatures and rain at first. Temperatures were quick to drop over Northern Honshu and Hokkaido, so there was fresh snow in this Wednesday morning’s reports. However, it was not your usual “lake-effect” Japow; it was denser, maritime snow coming off the Pacific Ocean, akin to what we get in Australia and NZ. As I put pen to paper, snow levels over Central Honshu are also on their way down from the mid-slopes and will get nice and low this Wednesday night.

Friday will stay mostly dry, but there’ll be some isolated flurries lingering on Hokkaido. Temperatures will rocket back up on Honshu as warm southerlies develop ahead of the next storm approaching from the west in the Sea of Japan. Rain from this storm spreads across the country Friday night, falling as snow to fairly low levels on Hokkaido, where temperatures will be much colder.

Saturday 7^th February & Sunday 8^th March

The storm will continue over the country throughout Saturday and Sunday morning, then gradually wind down during the latter half of Sunday. Snow levels about the mid-to-upper slopes of Honshu will gradually lower to base levels by late Saturday, while on Hokkaido, they’ll have to climb over a hill before a period of heavy snowfall to near sea level early Sunday.

Snowfall totals for the weekend are expected to be around 20-50+ cm, with resorts in Niigata and southwest Hokkaido favoured for the deepest totals.

Monday 9^th to Wednesday 11^th March

Leftover snow showers over northern Honshu will clear up Monday morning, but will persist on Hokkaido.

Central Honshu will stay dry on Monday, but another low-pressure system passing on the Pacific side will pull in a fresh surge of cold air from Monday night, bringing another round of snow for a 10-30+ cm powder day on Tuesday. The passing low will also bring a dusting to northern Honshu and Hokkaido on Tuesday.

A ridge of high pressure will then bring dry, settled weather next Wednesday.

That’s all from me today, and for the season. It’s been a real pleasure bringing you all the snowlights of the 2025-2026 season, which will go down in the history books as having one of the best runs of powder days from Jan through early Feb. See you in June when the Aussie and Kiwi seasons get underway.

Grasshopper

Weekly North America Forecast – Temps Fluctuate as Storms Favour the North

Written Wednesday, 5^th March (Pacific Standard Time)

Well, guys and gals, this will be my final forecast for the 2025-2026 North American snow season. It’s been a funny ol’ season that saw some Canadian resorts cranking through December with near-endless snowfall, followed by a long, warm, dry spell, which US resorts in particular suffered from as high-pressure took over the West, while the East went into a storm-laden deep freeze.

Storms returned to the West mid Feb, and resorts have had a great few weeks as snowpacks have bounced back. At present, snowpacks in the northern half of the Rockies, from Canada and Alberta down to Wyoming and Idaho, are sitting at or above their long-term median, highlighting where conditions have been the best this season.

Storms will once again favour the north in the upcoming seven-day period, although snow quality and snow levels will fluctuate as warm and cold airmasses are dragged in with each storm system. The central and northern US Rockies will also receive a nice round of powder at the start of this period (Thursday and Friday), before settled high pressure then takes hold over the central and southern US.

Thursday 5^th & Friday 6^th March

A storm that arrived in the northwest on Wednesday will continue tracking southeast through the US Rockies on Thursday before exiting late Friday. The storm, which started wet and warm, will see snow levels drop as a cold front now leads the charge. Snowfall will favour northern Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah on Thursday and then Colorado on Friday. Totals will mostly range between 15-40cm in the central and northern US Rockies, with 40-50+cm possible in the most exposed terrain, particularly in Montana.

Leftover snow showers will give BC and the Cascades a further dusting before the storm exits the area on Thursday. But a new storm entering the northwest from late Thursday through Friday will bring a mix of rain and dense snow as a warm, humid air flows in from the Pacific. The bulk of this will fall in northern BC, with only light falls in southern BC, where most resorts are located.

Having received a few showers on Wednesday, Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada will stay dry for Thursday and Friday, while Arizona and New Mexico will only get a light dusting in their northern parts.

Saturday 7^th & Sunday 8^th March

This weekend, all the action will take place in the north. The warm storm that arrives here on Friday will become colder on Sunday as a cold front pushes down from the north. Once the cold front hits, snow levels will drop, and snow quality will improve.

Interior BC, the northern Cascades, and to a lesser extent, Alberta, will be favoured for the biggest accumulations of this quality powder during the latter half of Sunday, while Idaho, Montana and Wyoming will also see snow developing ahead of the cold front on the warm side of the storm.

Monday 9^th to Wednesday 11^th March

Most of the action continues in the north during this period, with the cold front pushing down into southern Idaho and Wyoming during Monday, where it’ll stall for a while. Areas north of this will be treated to light-to-moderate falls of smoky powder on Monday and Tuesday.

But on Wednesday, temperatures and snow levels will rocket up as a new, warmer storm enters the fray, bringing heavy low-to-mid-level rain and upper-level snow. The northern Cascades, in particular, are expected to get nailed. Thankfully, this injection of warm, humid air will be short-lived, and by the end of the day (Wednesday), temperatures will be hastily making their way down.

In the south, a weaker storm system will track over Arizona and New Mexico on Monday and Tuesday. Temperatures will be warm, so it’ll be a mix of rain and snow for resorts there. If we’re lucky, some resorts could see moderate accumulations on their upper slopes.

That’s all from me today, and for the season. It’s been a blast and a pleasure being a part of it all. See you all in June when the Aussie and Kiwi seasons get underway.

Grasshopper